About Something Good Magazine:

Something Good Magazine is a small local magazine based out of Columbus, NE. The non-profit focuses on highlighting local businesses and community members, shedding light on all the good things going on in Columbus. The magazine releases 12 issues a year and reached out about elevating their brand to attract more viewers and make it feel “more legit.”

Project Needs:

• Logo and Masthead
• Magazine Structure
• Magazine Layout Design
• Social Media Graphics
• Creative Direction
• Additional Marketing Collateral
• Content Idea Generation
• Project Management to get on a regular print schedule

Where We Were Starting From:

Before our partnership together, Something Good Magazine struggled to be taken seriously in the community. They were having a hard time getting and keeping advertisers and weren’t sure what to do in order to improve their readership and grow as a publication. Their branding was amateur and their content wasn’t captivating enough to keep the engagement of their readership.

The Redesign:

Before starting the rebranding process, we explored other local magazines that were successful in their own cities. Magazines like COMO Magazine out of Columbia, MO and Jefferson City Magazine out of Jefferson City, MO were two big sources we pulled inspiration from. We evaluated the ways in which they structured their magazines, what kind of content they produced, and how they promoted that content online.

The Masthead/Logo:

Our first project was to update the logo and masthead. Since the magazine’s cover was often what either won or lost a potential reader, we wanted to focus a lot of our design efforts there. We chose a bold serif font that felt elevated while still approachable.

The thickness of the letterforms allowed plenty of wiggle room when layering images on the covers. Unlike the previous logo, this let us create more dynamic cover images without losing the brand.

Interior Layout Design:

Once we updated the cover design to capture the viewer, we knew we needed to improve the interior of the magazine to maintain credibility and keep the reader interested. Stories were complemented with large photographs and compelling typography. Additionally, the layout designs had variations to make different sections easily identifiable.

Social Media and Promotion:

We wanted to ensure the brand was cohesive throughout social media platforms as well, so we created templates to promote each story. These templates utilize the Something Good Magazine submark to brand the posts without the text getting overwhelming.

Additional Aid and Improvements:

In addition to the design work, we aided Something Good Magazine in creating a functional print schedule to ensure magazines were produced and released on time. This improved relationships with both advertisers and readers. We also helped in the brainstorming and creation of content. We developed extensive lists of content ideas based on seasons and provided strategies for gaining sponsorships for many of those projects. One of those strategies resulted in a multi-quarter partnership with a local bookstore. Additionally, we worked with the team to onboard a staff photographer to increase the image quality and continue to elevate the Something Good Magazine brand.

Thinking a rebrand might be in your future?

Check out our Brand Development Partnerships to get started. You can also Book a brand consultation with me. During that time we will spend 45-60 minutes deep diving into your current business and brand to pinpoint what’s working and what’s not. You can get your questions answered and leave with a write-up that you can use to guide your brand development moving forward. If you choose to book a branding package with me after your consultation, the fee will be applied to your total package cost.